It is quiet. Everyone is gone, and the house is mine. Rona is out slaying, and then going with Kennedy to Tara and Willow's. Spike and Dawn went to Xander and Anya's house. And Josh is at work. I fix myself a glass of wine and turn on some music. I take the phone off the hook and take a sip of wine while swaying slowly to the music. It is one of Dawn's CDs, some Sarah chick, but she can sing. A song comes on; it is talking about in the arm of an angel. Thanks Sarah, I say to myself walking over to the stereo to change the song.

"Funny, I never remember holding her in my arms." A familiar voice comes from behind me. I jump and the stereo switches CDs, blaring some dance music. I slap the power button to turn the system completely off as I turn around.

"Heh, didn't mean to scare you." He comes walking from the shadows of the dining room.

"Angel?" I squint my eyes, as his features become clear through the candlelight. My stomach flutters and my heart jumps. He is still beautiful, his face still dark but I could see the light in him. I always could.

"Hey." He says softly. He stops right in the middle of the room; he is only a few feet away from me.

"What are you doing here?" I say, snapping out of my amazement, and feeling myself getting angry.

"Giving you my RSVP." He pulls an envelope from his pocket and tosses it on the coffee table, staying where he is.

"You need to leave, you have no right to just barge into my house like this.how did you get in?" I steady myself as I sit on the couch. My knees feel weak. I didn't think he could have this effect on me.

"The back door was unlocked." He walks over to the couch and sits on the other end; he hasn't taken his eyes off me.

"It's been eight years since I have heard from you, let alone seen you..do you really think it is ok for you to just come back here, without calling?" My head is spinning, his scent is so overwhelming, and I can feel his energy inside me, it is like a drug when I am around him.

"Look, I just wanted to see you before."

"Before what, Angel? Before I get married? Well thank you. Thank you for dropping in, but there is a phone." He reaches over and touches my hand. It is warm, like mine. Not cold like he used to be and I jump from the surprise.

"Yea, about that," he knows what I am jumping at, "it happened about 3 years ago, a prophecy fulfilled, the vampire with a soul becomes."

"Human." I finish for him and all at once I am amazed, happy, and jealous.

My eyes meet his for a moment and then my eyes hit the floor. I had hoped and prayed for so long that one day he would become human, but in my prayers we were together when it happened. I stand up, cross into the dining room, and then into the kitchen. I steady myself on the counter and pour myself another glass of wine. I can sense him behind me and I whirl around.

"So.what, you came here to rub it in my face?" I feel the tears trying to reveal themselves in my eyes, but I fight them off.

"I came to wish you luck."

"Fuck your luck, Angel. Your luck gets me no where. Your luck gets me alone." His sarcastic chuckle interrupts me.

"Alone? Buffy, not three months after I left you were already shagging other guys." His tone is calm yet angry, and it makes my insides boil.

"Oh, don't even go there. *You* left *me*! I begged you not to go, not to leave what we had, but you did..you left!"

"I did what I.."

"What you had to do.yes I know, Angel. A thousand times, I know." The tears win, and one slides down my cheek as I turn my head from him. I don't want him to see me cry.

He walks to me and touches the small of my back. I turn to face him, I feel sick to my stomach. He wipes the tears from my cheek and lowers his mouth to my ear.

"You promised me you would always be my girl, Buffy." He whispers softly, and his lips graze my ear as he speaks. Having him so close is intoxicating, until I register what he has just said.

"You bastard!" I push him away from me, and the tears start flowing full force. "How dare you, I was supposed to wait until forever so we could have *forever*? Screw that! I loved you with every piece of me, every inch of my soul, and you couldn't handle it. Well sorry buster brown, your chance is gone because I have someone that can..." my voice softens a bit. "And will."

"Buffy, I never meant to hurt you."

"You never meant to hurt me? I promised you forever? Well what happened to forever when you were fucking Cordelia, huh?" I throw a punch at him but he catches my hand and I jerk it away.

"Cordelia, how did.."

"How did I know? How did I know that my heart was leaving me to join with another? Because call it intuition Angel, but I knew. I could feel you drift away. But I am the one who is wrong."

"What about Riley?" He meets his eyes with mine.

"Angel, I was heartbroken and he showed me what I needed. You just needed a good screw that would be there at your beckoned call. I needed someone to love.."

"I did love her."

"What?"

"I did love her, not like I loved you, but."

"Oh, cut the shit Angel! You moved on just like I did." I reach up into the liquor cabinet and grab the vodka.

"Buffy..."

"Fuck you, get out." I pour myself a shot and down it just as fast. "Get out!!!" I scream at him and throw the glass past him, and it shatters on the wall.

"You still love me don't you?" He walks up to me and grabs my wrists while I try to hit him.

"Angel, I will always love you. You have a big piece of my heart."

"Then why are marrying him?"

"Because he won't leave." I look up at him, and the urge to kiss him is so intense but I pull away. "Because.because, he won't leave me like you did." The pain in his eyes is real, but I don't care.

"Buffy, I smell deception in this house. I don't trust..."

"Oh, don't even start Angel. I don't give a damn who you trust, because I trust him. I love him. I am going to marry him tomorrow, and you can't stop me." The tears come to his eyes, and I look away. "Crying won't change anything Angel. I am marrying Josh tomorrow; now.please.leave me alone." I look back at him, but he is gone. I walk into the living room and see the front door is still open, and on the porch is a single white rose. I walk outside and pick it up, but my legs won't hold me up, and a thorn pricks me as I fall to my knees sobbing.